The Lorain Hedge Revisited

Photo courtesy Lorain Historical Society

Here's an undated, wintery shot of the original LORAIN hedge that used to be at the corner of West Erie Ave and Lakeview Drive. The photo is pretty symbolic of what's been going on weather-wise in the city the past few months.

I first wrote about the LORAIN hedge back here, when I posted this shot (below).

As we all know, this version of the hedge – with the battered, notched letters – was eventually replaced by a newer version that currently looks across West Erie directly at Lakeview Park.

How long had the original LORAIN hedge been there before being replaced?

At the time of my post in 2011, I thought it had only been around since the early 1950s. Now I know that the hedge had been there for many years before that.

According to an article from the Sept. 28, 1939 edition of The Lorain News, "It was during the Goldthorpe administration that the skating pond was constructed and the Lorain sign planted and the shelter house on the south side of the park built."

Paul J. Goldthorpe was Mayor of Lorain from 1930 - 1932 according to online sources.

Here's an aerial photo (below) showing Lakeview Park with the LORAIN hedge visible across West Erie Avenue. The well-known fountain is there, so we know the photo dates from 1936 or after. The third bathhouse is there too.

Photo courtesy Lorain Historical Society

Note the tennis courts, still in their original location.

Here's a closeup of the hedge from the photo.

And here's a wintery shot of the hedge from its early days (below).

Photo courtesy Lorain Historical Society

Finally, here's an aerial view (courtesy of Bing Maps) showing the new LORAIN hedge, the relocated tennis courts and some of the other park improvements.